Interview: The Legendary Esteban
By: Sarah S.
SS: How long did your infomercials run for and how come we haven’t seen them lately?
E: My new project is a new line of Esteban Guitars that includes a 22 piece set consisting of a handmade guitar, an amp, 10 Esteban Instructional DVD's, a guitar stand and a tuner, a BIG chord chart with ALL the chords for EZ viewing, extra strings, picks and amp cord, 2 guitar straps, a hard case for travel, and a guitar stand!! It has taken me 2 years to get it this far along!!
This is the largest package ever offered by any company globally. My goal is to get this package to the consumer for under $200. It is a TASK. I really don't care if I personally make anything $$ on it. I just want to get American kids and adults playing MUSIC. Every guitar that enters a home is like a little vibration of LOVE and Creativity going into a family. It is a lovely thing to do and I want to leave a legacy of music behind after I am gone (hopefully 40 years from now!!)
SS: What sorts of projects have you been up to recently?
E: My daughters, Teresa and Stephanie perform with me all the time. I am doing a lot more singing as of late, and their harmonies are just wonderful!! They sing like little angels!! Also, of course, Teresa plays the violin and Steph plays the violin, cello, autoharp and percussion. I started my daughters when they were 4 years old and they are truly world class musicians!! It is so GREAT to see them all the time and to perform with my FAMILY!!! Yes!! My son, Ben, is a bass player and trumpet player as well as a guitarist!! He is still in high school, so he only plays with us on his breaks. We just did a gig together at Mohegan Sun in Ct. It was AWESOME!! We rocked the house!! 3 kids and the dad and the band....really wonderful!! There is NOTHING BETTER that playing music with your family. I wish everyone could have that opportunity!!
SS: What was the music situation where you’re originally from like and how did that help shape you musically later in life?
E: I was raised in Pittsburgh Pa. My dad was a steel mill worker. No music there at all. The music came from my dear uncle George. He played guitar records for me when I was 3 years old I LOVED it then and I LOVE it now!! He inspired me by just playing the records. So he finally bought me a guitar and I listened to the records and honestly,......I just started playing the songs after a little while. If I could hear it, I could play it! He was amazed, then the neighbors were amazed then I started getting a little fan base, when I was a kid!!
I won talent shows and then got a scholarship to college and then I went to study in Spain.
SS: What were some of your favorite music artists growing up and what are some of your favorite artists now?
E: I liked classical and flamenco guitarist then. SABICAS, SEGOVIA, MONTOYA. I also like singers, mostly folk/rock back in the day. Everybody from the Beatles to Kingston Trio and PPMary Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell and Credence and Crosby,Stills Nash, Young etc.
SS: Do you have multiple guitars or do you stick to one like the famous Esteban guitar we’ve all seen in the infomercial?
E: I play my own guitars and some other as well. My favorite Esteban guitars are DUENDE and VINTAGE LEGACY. I LOVE those guitars. They only cost a couple hundred dollars, but they play like a $5000 guitar> No kidding!! I played a concert in New Orleans just after Katrina and raised a LOT of $$ for Habitat Humanities and I played that DUENDE guitar at that gig, and everybody went nuts!! Amazing concert!!!
People have no idea how good the Esteban Guitars are, unless you OWN one!!! Then you know!
SS: Do you ever play electric guitar or only classical? If you do play electric we’d love to hear what kind of equipment you use.
E: I do have electrics. In fact, i am going to make a new electric solid boy Esteban Guitar soon. I play a BURST..a great reissue ad i have a double neck SG and a beautiful White Falcon.
SS: Last Question: Best show you've ever performed?
E: My favorite concert was Esteban at Red Rocks. It is outside of Denver and there were like 9000 people there and everybody was cheering and then it started to rain and people just sat there and got wet and listened to the wall of sound we had that night!! I shall never forget it.
SS: How long did your infomercials run for and how come we haven’t seen them lately?
E: My new project is a new line of Esteban Guitars that includes a 22 piece set consisting of a handmade guitar, an amp, 10 Esteban Instructional DVD's, a guitar stand and a tuner, a BIG chord chart with ALL the chords for EZ viewing, extra strings, picks and amp cord, 2 guitar straps, a hard case for travel, and a guitar stand!! It has taken me 2 years to get it this far along!!
This is the largest package ever offered by any company globally. My goal is to get this package to the consumer for under $200. It is a TASK. I really don't care if I personally make anything $$ on it. I just want to get American kids and adults playing MUSIC. Every guitar that enters a home is like a little vibration of LOVE and Creativity going into a family. It is a lovely thing to do and I want to leave a legacy of music behind after I am gone (hopefully 40 years from now!!)
SS: What sorts of projects have you been up to recently?
E: My daughters, Teresa and Stephanie perform with me all the time. I am doing a lot more singing as of late, and their harmonies are just wonderful!! They sing like little angels!! Also, of course, Teresa plays the violin and Steph plays the violin, cello, autoharp and percussion. I started my daughters when they were 4 years old and they are truly world class musicians!! It is so GREAT to see them all the time and to perform with my FAMILY!!! Yes!! My son, Ben, is a bass player and trumpet player as well as a guitarist!! He is still in high school, so he only plays with us on his breaks. We just did a gig together at Mohegan Sun in Ct. It was AWESOME!! We rocked the house!! 3 kids and the dad and the band....really wonderful!! There is NOTHING BETTER that playing music with your family. I wish everyone could have that opportunity!!
SS: What was the music situation where you’re originally from like and how did that help shape you musically later in life?
E: I was raised in Pittsburgh Pa. My dad was a steel mill worker. No music there at all. The music came from my dear uncle George. He played guitar records for me when I was 3 years old I LOVED it then and I LOVE it now!! He inspired me by just playing the records. So he finally bought me a guitar and I listened to the records and honestly,......I just started playing the songs after a little while. If I could hear it, I could play it! He was amazed, then the neighbors were amazed then I started getting a little fan base, when I was a kid!!
I won talent shows and then got a scholarship to college and then I went to study in Spain.
SS: What were some of your favorite music artists growing up and what are some of your favorite artists now?
E: I liked classical and flamenco guitarist then. SABICAS, SEGOVIA, MONTOYA. I also like singers, mostly folk/rock back in the day. Everybody from the Beatles to Kingston Trio and PPMary Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell and Credence and Crosby,Stills Nash, Young etc.
SS: Do you have multiple guitars or do you stick to one like the famous Esteban guitar we’ve all seen in the infomercial?
E: I play my own guitars and some other as well. My favorite Esteban guitars are DUENDE and VINTAGE LEGACY. I LOVE those guitars. They only cost a couple hundred dollars, but they play like a $5000 guitar> No kidding!! I played a concert in New Orleans just after Katrina and raised a LOT of $$ for Habitat Humanities and I played that DUENDE guitar at that gig, and everybody went nuts!! Amazing concert!!!
People have no idea how good the Esteban Guitars are, unless you OWN one!!! Then you know!
SS: Do you ever play electric guitar or only classical? If you do play electric we’d love to hear what kind of equipment you use.
E: I do have electrics. In fact, i am going to make a new electric solid boy Esteban Guitar soon. I play a BURST..a great reissue ad i have a double neck SG and a beautiful White Falcon.
SS: Last Question: Best show you've ever performed?
E: My favorite concert was Esteban at Red Rocks. It is outside of Denver and there were like 9000 people there and everybody was cheering and then it started to rain and people just sat there and got wet and listened to the wall of sound we had that night!! I shall never forget it.
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